The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-10-08
WHY DO I OPPOSE PROHIBITION.
The Views of a Clergyman who Is a
Total Abstaincr. :

From the Greenvilfe, Texas HeraldlI
letter written BY Rev. J. e. Hutchen-
son, formerly OF Cleburne, but now liv-
ing in San Antonio. He is a total alb
stainer.
1 would simply remind
you, as the basis of my argument, of
the words of Him to whom, it seems to
me, Christians at least should pause to
listen, especially in a time like this. In
the parable of the wheat and tares,
when it had been discovered that an
enemy had sown tares among the wheat,
the servants said unto the householder,
"Wilt thou then that We go and gather
them up?' But he said "Nay, least
while we gather up the tares ye root up
also the wheat with Them" The ones
ton of the servants has been the cry
of the rash, shallow and tanatical re-
former in every g OF the world but the
authority OF Him from whose gospel
alone can come the power to reform
mankind is against it. And having
more faith in Him and His words than
7 in the prohibitiOnists and their words.
l most earnestly object to prohibition
on account of the wheat it would roo
> up while attempting to root up the
5 tares.
lin the first place it roots up per
: sonal liberty in matters pertaining t.
the private habits and usages of life
g 1t is said in this country the majorit!
n must rule. But that doctrine of major
4 tiles, even in this country, applies onl.
q t. the form and policies of the govern
!, ment; as to the private and persona
rights of individuals, it is the pro
vince of government neither to Great
n nor to destroy, but to regulate, guar
,e and protect.
= PIT roots up the right of the priva'
10 ownership of property. Under the pr
as lection of the laws of Texas vast sun
i'll have been invested and d vast amour
of property created in the business
n the manufacture and sale of splrituo'
liquors; but now it is proposed. by
Oh change of sentiment IN the part OF Il
ITS people, expressed at the ballot box,
all make these Investments II this pro
IOt erty utterly worthless to those W
ry own them. Are we prepared for
in Then let US, in all consistency, be pr
lot pared for something else. Mr.. Geor
ok and father McGlynn, at the head OF
by society Called the sAnti- Poverty
ciety,'' are now earnestly, and no dou
sincerely, striving to convince t
icy American people that all private ow
Is. ership of land is wrong, and shol
be abandoned to the government
,ur the general good of the people. n
le- if a change of sentiment on the part
ion The majority OF the people, express
ais, at the ballot box, can give them
ON right to render worthless the prOpe
of men whose business they regard
lire wrong and unlawful, should MI. Geo
you and father McGlynn succeed in gett
a majority of the American people
lee. adopt their theories, they. too, will b
the the right by appealing to the ballot-b
OPP to confiscate every foot of soil hello
the private in the United States. You
for there is no danger. That is no ansy
Just The sin and danger, too, lie in the p
ton ciple. Nor is it an answer to say
was the business of the men who own
isky property is iniQuilous, and that, tn
the fore, they deserve to lose it. One
of the community have no right t.
to themselves up as the vice-gerent'
in the Almighty over the other part
was laws under which we live were n
t be for the protection of the lives
,eri- property, not of some, but of all
'ious citizens.
f the SIT roots ont the right of pr
: the Judgment and the liberty of console
This The question, mind, is not the rig
the state to restrain the sale, "
ional proper bounds, OF intoxicating liql
ad a No one questions such a right. L
IN of is the right of a number of people
a majority at the polls, to bring il
ssion state to back them in forcing their
Dked, narrow view of temperance on
as who differ from them. The ma
mary vi"w is that the use of lntoxic
divi- dri ks in any form and to any e
cense as beverages is wrong and sinful.
lights a question, therefore, that affects
sand right, not only to indulge a bodll